Hi, I used to use OnGuard for security in a lab environment and am no longer using it since it has too many bugs with G3s and the new G4s. I tried using the multiple users control panel with restricted access and even after specifying which items were available to the users it doesn't work very well. QuarkXpress will launch but not load most of the required extensions it needs. MiniCad asks for a serial # and I'm sure there are many more bugs if I kept trying more apps. Basically I just want people to log in with an account, lock the system folder so they can't modify important items and still give them access to the monitors and sound control panels. Also to prevent them from copying software would also make my boss happy. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[Adam Silver]

Apple offers an unsupported extension that fixes this.

http://asu.info.apple.com/swupdates.nsf/artnum/n11633

[Paul Crawford]

Hi March,

With the latest version of Macintosh Manager / Multiple Users (1.3), there's apparently an additional technique available to accommodate older software (without the system-wide benefits and/or drawbacks of the Security Bypass Extension 1.3 mentioned by Adam above). See the description of the special "Other Applications•" folder in the MM/MU 1.3 Read Me. This special folder is supposed to function much like the "Application Support" folder (in the System Folder), but it's located outside the System Folder. I've never tried using this folder, so I don't know how well it works; it probably won't help with severly MU-challenged programs.

In any case, note that Apple's MU wasn't really designed for very advanced security needs. If many of OnGuard's more powerful features that you mentioned (such as full copy-prevention) are mandatory for your lab, I guess you could try contacting Power On Software's Support if you haven't already done so, to see if they have any specific troubleshooting advice for your configurations.

Otherwise, as you probably know, there are also several altenative commercial workgroup/security products available -- e.g., as discussed on the Macintosh Security web site. However, I don't know if these products work with the newer Macs any better than OnGuard.

[On a personal note, I wish that there had been better news about OnGuard because I'd been thinking of switching from Apple's MU to OnGuard at some point when I upgrade my household's Mac. Apart from the (somewhat understandable) issues with older software that led to Apple releasing the Security Bypass Extension, the current version of MU still has quite a few other problems related to "forgetting" users' settings.]

Regards,

--Paul

[This message has been edited by Paul Crawford (edited 11-18-2000).]

Thanks for the info guys, I'll give it another go.

Re: OnGuard, I contacted them regarding the fact that some G3s and a G4 MP I installed it on, did not want to boot up past a certain point. The G4 would be on with a dark screen and locked so you couldn't turn it off or reboot. The G3s would reboot so they handled it better. OnGuard works with older comps but sometimes will not let you save to designated areas or anywhere else. The fix is to sign off and then on again.

OnGuard acknowledged there was a problem with the newer machines and said they are working on it. If they ever do fix it, it'll be worth the wait since the control it offers is very impressive.

Ciao